So, I am 32 and I have been going to the gym for the last 3.5 yrs, training in TKD for the past 2 years, and have been vegetarian for the last 2 years. I have tried the vegan thin in the past without much success. My partner and I recently watched Forks over Knives and decided to gice it another go. We have currently given up dairy and are 2 weeks in, and plan on giving up eggs in 2 weeks. So far we've met a lot of resistence, today I went to Supplement King to get some dairy free protien and was informed that it is pretty much impossible to be vegan and pack on weight because plants do not contain complete proteins. Isn't protien just protien? The only difference is where it is sourced from, no? Even my personal triner has said the same thing, saying it will be hard to meet my nutritional needs. I take TKD classes on MWF, and go to the gym for Cardio and Strenght training TThSa, with Sun as my rest day. I take glutamine, and a protien supplement by Vega, am I missing something? I hope to find some answers. Any help or knowledge would be greatly appreciated.

Oh man, I don't know where to begin when it comes to people at the supplement shop. You're right, science is science. For someone to say that plants don't have complete protein, is to say that the Earth is flat. Seriously, I would consider those statements to be in the same category, simply because it is insane to say that plants don't contain complete protein, because many of them do.

And to suggest one can't build muscle on a plant-based diet would be admitting again that they don't have any idea how science and biochemistry work.

The problem is that most people think that way. Quite frankly, one of the primary reasons 80% of people in North America are sick. They all seem to think they know what is right and wrong nutritionally, but don't have a clue.

I'm taking a plant-based nutrition certification course right now through Cornell University and the more I learn about how the general public forms their ideas, the more frustrating it is.

Anyway, it's a longer conversation and almost 1AM and I still have some work to do before bed, but wanted to say welcome aboard, and please question those ideas about nutrition that the supplement store and trainer say. I would ask them if they have a background or understanding of science. No offense to them, it just seems very clear that they don't know how the human body and nutrition work.

See you on the forum.

All the very best with your health and fitness goals!

PS, I put on 75 pounds since becoming Vegan and won multiple bodybuilding competitions. You can mention that to them too

Hahahaha. Nice yeah. When people make these claims ask them to site their sources. Start browsing this site, there is a ton of nutritional info on here. Sounds like the guy (or lady) doesn't have the knowledge of what a complete protein is or can be made up of. I've even read books, articles and journals that were pro meat eating that also included plant based complete protein alternatives to meat. Not too long ago I read a book on the paleo diet. Which I do not endorse in any way shape or form. That being said, even the paleo diet people understand the benefits from plant-based complete proteins. Pretty cool I think, that's like hearing republicans acknowledge gay rights. Ironic but in both cases in shows the way of thinking in the word is slightly progressing, even if slower than I would like it to. Welcome to the forum!

Hi Derick! First of all, welcome! And I've always wanted to visit Nova Scotia, simply because I love the sound of it!

Sounds like you've already gotten some great advice, and as was already mentioned, all anyone has to do is take a gander at this website (both the forum and the main website) to know that what you've been told about not being able to gain muscle on a vegan/plant-based diet is a bunch of bull malarkey. Just know that their claims are wrong and completely unfounded, even though I know how frustrating that can be to be confronted with that all the time. Stick to your guns, Derick, confident that you're doing the best thing for your body... not to mention the planet!

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